Startled, Brennan turned her head to face the front door of her apartment. Two sharp knocks had succeeded in breaking her concentration.
"Bones? Bones? You there?"
Smiling slightly, Brennan stood up. She shoved the exercise book she had been writing in behind one of the cushions on her couch. Smoothing her hair, she made her way to the door.
She was greeted with Booth's smiling face. "Just thought I'd drop in and see how my favourite forensic anthropologist is doing."
Smiling graciously at the compliment, although in Booth's eyes it wasn't as though Zach was any real competition, she stood aside to let him in.
"Did I interrupt anything?"
Shaking her head, Brennan directed him over to the couch she had only just vacated.
"Not at all. I was actually thinking of starting dinner soon. Would you like to stay?"
He flashed his charm smile at her and rubbed his hands together in anticipation.
"Indeed I would! Ah. Good company and not having to cook. Doesn't get much better."
She looked pointedly at him. "I'll still make you help." She leaned back and gazed languidly at him.
"You think I'm good company?"
"Yeah, but only in comparison to being alone."
She gave him a quick push.
He laughed and pushed her back.
"You don't intimidate me! I stand by my statement."
Rolling her eyes, Brennan stood up and moved towards the kitchen. Booth made himself comfortable, listening to the sounds of presses and drawers being pulled open.
A moment later, Brennan's head popped out of the kitchen.
"I kinda want Spaghetti Bolognese. Sound good?"
Booth let out a groan of longing.
"Sounds perfect!" He made a move to get up, but Brennan shook her head at him.
"Stay where you are. I just have to run out and get sauce. Mine has gone off."
This time he did stand up. "I'll get it. Don't worry about it."
She strode over and pushed him back onto the couch.
"No, you stay here. I'll get it. I've a couple of other things I should pick up when I'm out."
Shrugging in defeat, he sat back.
"Ok. Only if you're sure."
She nodded firmly, grabbing her bag from beside the couch. At the door, she turned her head towards him.
"Won't be long. Make yourself comfortable."
The door closed after her.
Taking her at her word, he settled back into the couch. As he did, he felt something hard digging against his back. Feeling inquisitive, he did a little search and found Brennan's exercise book. His curiosity overcame him and he began to read. At first he thought it was her new book and was about to stop, but logic told him that it couldn't possibly be. The next few lines confirmed this. He devoured that pages that she'd written, his eyes growing wider with each paragraph, an occasional chuckle escaping him.
When he heard her key turning in the lock, he placed the book discreetly beside him. She did a little whirlwind into the kitchen, depositing her bags as she did and apologising profusely for the length of time it took.
She emerged a few moments later, flicking hair off her face. She caught sight of the grin that was stretched from ear to ear and stopped short.
"What?"
"Hmm? Oh, nothing." He shook his head slightly, the wattage of his smile increasing.
"Seriously, Booth, what is it?"
Unable to control himself, he sprang up, the book clutched firmly against his chest.
"You write porn!"
Brennan's eyes widened, her face instantly flushed.
"I do not!"
"Kinda hard to argue it Bones when the evidence is right here." He tapped the cover for emphasis.
"Now let's see…" He rifled through the pages.
"It's not porn!"
"Oh really… 'Kathy felt the heat spread like wildfire across her scalp, quickly moving further and further down. She let out a low, desperate moan as she watched Andy pull off his boxers, liberating his throbbing….'"
"STOP!" She thought for a moment and then snapped her fingers.
"You know my books have love scenes, right? Well, it's just a love scene. Practise."
He didn't buy it. "Uh huh. Might have believed you if the whole thing wasn't full of it. It's just them moving from one sexual encounter to the next. You write porn!"
He did a little happy dance, waving the book around as he did.
After a beat, "You write inventive porn…how would that one even work…" He trailed off, keeping his eyes on the book, silently mouthing the words. He pushed his hips out slightly while simultaneously attempting to twist his upper body. After a few moments, he gave up, defeated.
She snatched the book off him, giving him a quick smack on the side of the head with it as she did.
She drew the book tightly against her chest, crossing her arms in front of it protectively. Sighing in annoyance, Brennan shrugged.
"Fine. It just shows I have a healthy sex drive."
He let out a short bark of laughter.
She prickled. "Probably healthier than yours anyway."
"Hey, my sex drive is just fine, I'll have you know. I just don't need to act out my fantasies in a little book"
Brennan glowered and began to move towards the kitchen.
"I'm starting dinner. When you've finished being childish, you can come join me."
Unable to resist, he lowered his voice to a guttural growl, slowly drawing out his words.
"Be sure to make it very, very…hot. Nice and…steamy. Some gentle heat to begin with but I want it to be bubbling over by the end. I like things…spicy. I'll be watching, Bones. Watching very closely. I want to see you SWEAT."
He never saw the book coming.